BellaOnline Forums Career Unemployment What was the best company you worked for? worst?

I am looking for work and have had numerous interviews with various large household named companies. Not sure which company's are the best or worst to work at though.

Which company did you like working at and which companies should be avoided like the plague?

I worked at small Canadian companies, so I'm not sure if this answer will help. The best company I worked for was called Northern Lights. They are fantastic because they recognize that their staff are good at their jobs, and they gave us the autonomy and the support to do our jobs well.

The company is a career counseling organization founded on a philosophy that "every person is an expert of themselves and has the right to order their own lives". Unlike many other companies, Northern Lights is actually managed according to their company philosophy/mission. That philosophy carries over not only to the way clients are treated, but also to staff, and that's what makes the organization an amazing place to work. My job there was extremely stressful, but that was manageable because I was supported by an amazing team.

Their hiring process was incredibly tough, but once you were hired on, they trusted you to make good decisions. I knew it was a great place to work before I started simply because they have an incredible reputation among career counselors in the community where I worked.

In terms of deciding whether a company is a good place to work before you accept a job, I think the best thing to do is to really try to read between the lines during job interviews. No interviewer is going to come right out and tell you it's not a good place to be, but things like employers refusing to discuss salary (at an appropriate time) or refusing to put your offer in writing are big red flags in my mind.

Also try to find local people who work in the industry and ask their opinion. Again, you'll have to read between the lines; unless they know you well, they will not likely come right out and badmouth a company. People will be willing to say good things about great companies; those companies are the ones to target. The ones that they are more tight-lipped about may be ones to avoid.

Best of luck with your job search!

The best company I ever worked for was MetLife. But things have changed there also. But I worked there 7 years and the place was like one big giant happy family. Not just the dept but the whole damm company. Bosses were great, pay was great, people I worked with were great. They are all still my friends to this day and that was almost 28 yrs ago.

Thanks for sharing. I know what you mean. I worked for a Paychex for years and it was great in the beginning. They did a lot of training and the management seemed to really care about it's employees. But I found as a company starts making money, or losing money - they start putting all these new rules and policies in place and it tends to lose that "family" feel. Even now working (for the moment) in a government agency, as we get closer to the big possible "downsize", that many people are getting a bit snippy at work and the "wonderful place to work" is getting a bit less..."wonderful".
Thanks for sharing.

Hey I know several people at Paychex as I am in the same town as Golisano. My brother and his GF both work for NYS and they are getting worried too about their jobs (even though they have seniority there so I don't think it would be an issue for them)

I had transfered there a couple of times during my tenure with Paychex, the snow always sent me back here though. It's so different to see how people there view Paychex and how it's viewed here. Up there it is one of THE company's to work for like Kodak or B&L used to be which made it kinda cool, down here not so much. I would imagine that fewer people will be outsourcing their payroll these days, but I'm sure Paychex has made it through even leaner times then now. It definitely falls on a list of great companies for me. I think my growing discontent was more of a local issue rather then the company as a whole.
We have people here, who have been with the library for 10-15 plus years, but because of they would lay off according to position. They actually might get laid off. I definitely hope that doesn't happen to your brother and his GF. And how is your job outlook going?

My job outlook doesn't seem to get better and now that it is over 18 months and nearing 2yrs. I am thinking they will really not look at me at all. I know they don't like to hire people not employed and being out of work longer seems to be not in my favor plus the age factor. 2 strikes against me. But I am still hopeful and still keep applying. They also must rule in the factor that because of the way the economy is, is a contributing factor. I -am- not- ready -to -retire. It's so boring unless you can afford to pack your bags and travel. Im not ready to be a golden girl yet. :P

PS...I worked at Kodak PT and at B&L when I first moved back home. I hated B&L...not the company but the people. They were so not friendly and clicky. But Rochester is a very conservative town and where I came from it was so not the case.